Enhancing the Nonlinear Optical Properties of Lithium Tetraborate Glass Using Rare Earth Elements and Silver Nanoparticles

Abstract

In recent years, nonlinear optics field is in constant growth, particularly on the characterization and study of optical properties of glass compounds. In this sense, the plasmonic effect caused by silver nanoparticles (SNP) on the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of different materials was studied. Furthermore, we report the experimental absorption spectra, the emission spectra, Z-scan measurements in both closed and open apertures and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to show the morphology of the matrices and the nucleation of SNP. Moreover, some NLO parameters were calculated, such as the NL refraction index and NL coefficient absorption of lithium tetraborate (Li 2 B 4 O 7 ) glass activated with rare earths (Dy 3+ and Yb 3+ ), as well as study of the effect of different concentrations of SNP. From the results obtained, it has been ascertained that the plasmon resonance caused by the presence of SNP enhances the NL refraction index value, as well as most of its linear optical properties in the matrix of Li 2 B 4 O 7 .